MUSIC TO MY EARS

Make a whistle to learn more about sound & music

Suitable For

Grade 1

Difficulty

1

Time Required

<1 Hour

Supervision

Advised

What’s it about?

Musical instruments make sounds by vibrating and the causing the air around it to vibrate. Musicians make music and melodies by controlling the sounds that their instruments make. The specific sound that a musical instrument makes depends on how such an instrument vibrates the air around it. Make a whistle in the following science experiment to learn more about sounds:

Topics covered

Sound conductor, Pitch

What will I need?

DRINKING STRAWS

SCISSORS

Procedure (Method)

Unfortunately, this section is only available in the e-book version of the project.

How does it work?

Unfortunately, this section is only available in the e-book version of the project.

In this science experiment, we created a musical instrument that creates sound by vibrating and then vibrating the air around it. When you blow inside the whistle, the vibration of the cut end of the straw creates the sound by causing the column of air in the straw to vibrate. The ‘pitch’ or low or high notes is determined by the length of the column of air. By sliding the outer straw up and down over the inner straw, the length of the column of air is changed and also the ‘pitch’ of the notes you play.

Like the sound of it?

Why not check out the full worksheet in one of our popular e-books?

This particular science project can be found in any of the following Experiland e-books:

A project introduction and background, complete listing of required materials, step-by-step instructions on how to carry out the project, why it works, learn more section, as well as a science glossary with all the relevant terms make up each of the all-inclusive science project worksheets in our e-books!